Preceptors for Clinical Nurse Specialist Students

Role Model and Mentor

• Role modeling and mentoring by the preceptor are a means to our student’s ability to assume their new role.
• Observation of interactions between staff, consultants, other professionals, and patients are important for the transition of the professional nurse to take on the health care provider and clinical specialist roles.
• The one-to-one relationship between the preceptor and the student allows the student to develop competence in advanced practice skills and allows for immediate feedback on the student’s performance.
• The preceptor should use accepted guidelines and standards of care and provide feedback throughout the course to the student.
• The nurse who precepts, demonstrates leadership skills in the area of quality assurance, community involvement and health promotion of population groups as well as clinical expertise in their area of practice.

Skills Development

• Preceptors should be aware that the student’s success and progression will depend on their access to hands on learning in the practice setting. Students should become increasingly independent as they progress in their practice rotations. (E.g. increasingly lead a project).
• Alert faculty if a student is having difficulty becoming independent